Clutch mechanism



May l0 1927.

, 1,6284529 H.' H. KESSLER .CLUTCH MECHANI SM Filed March 5. 1926 Z5 la 62 63 54 57 g5 m 52 J4 ...I- :T-git 5 i I v K I. l 1' F -l im F I N fg Illllulmlmlll" /4 mvENToR ATTORNEY Patented May l0, 1927.

UNITED STATES HARRY H. KESSLER, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLUTCH MECHANISM.

Application led March 5. 1926. Serial No. 92,396.

My invention relates to shiftable key mechanism for coupling gears and the like to shafts and it has for an object to provide apparatus of this character wherein it is assured that at least one key is at all times capable of being shifted to engage between projections of a gear or the like to couple the latter to its shaft.

One of the difficulties experienced in the past with slidable key gearing has been that of abutting of the keys with gear projections, thereby making clutchino of the ears to their shafts difficult as wel as resu ting in injury to the clutching or keying devices. Accordingly, therefore, it an object of my invention to provideslidable key gearing wherein the projections and keys are disposed in odd-even relationship, or, stated in another way, the number of keys of a set i is not divisible into the number of cooperative projections, whereby at least one key of a set is at all times capable of entering a space between projections.

A further object of my invention is to provide a set of movable keys wherein each key includes yieldable means in order that. should a key abut a projection, shifting of the set will not be interfered with and the key or keys registering with spaces between projections will enter such spaces while the abutting key will have energy stored in its spring means, the stored energy being effective to snap the key into place between projections as soon as this is possible.

A further object of` my invention is to provide key devices each of which includes primary and secondary members with spring means therebetween so that, should a key device abut a gear projection, the spring means will be compressed, and, upon `the secondary member of the device passing out of abutting relation with a projection, the spring means will be effective to snap the driven n'iember into a space between projections. j

A further object of my invention is to provide a key device of the character just referred to having latching mechanism for latching the primary and secondary members together upon initiation of movements of the device from engaged to disengaged positions.

A further object of my invention is to provide a set of slidable key devices, which are yieldable and which are so related to projections of a gear or the like that they engage both driving and non-driving faces of the projections, whereby backlash is mini- Inized.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will appear from the following descri tion and claims taken in connection with die accoi'npanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which: Y

j Fig. 1 is a View partly in elevation and partly in section of gearing showing my improvement applied thereto;

Fi 2 is a sectional. view taken along the line I--II of Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrows, and showing one of the shift yokes in elevation;

Fig. 3 a sectional view of the driving and driven members taken along the line III- III of Fig. l and showing the keys in engaged position;

Figs. 4., 5, and (il are fragmentary detail sectional views of the key construction, Figs. 5 and 6 being taken along the lines `V-V and VI-VI, respectively, of Fig. 4 and viewed in the directions of the indicating arrows.

'Referring to the drawings more in detail, I show alincd driving and driven shafts 1 0 and 11 and a counter-shaft and gear unit, at 12, the latter being driven from the driving shaft 10 by the meshing gears 13 and. 14.. The -countersllaft gear unit, at 12, is provided with gcars 15, 16. and 17 of different sizes, the gear 15 meshing with the gear 1.8 on the driven shaft and constituting the intermediate ratio. the gear 1.6 meshing with the gear 19 on the driven shaft and constitilting the low ratio, and the gear 17 driving the gear 2() on the driven shaft through the internicdiary of an idler for reverse. men'lber E22. preferably unitary with the gear 13. `is connect-ed to the driving shaft 10 and telescopes over the driven shaft 1 1 and it constitutes a coupling member througl'i which high-speed ratio may be secured. Two of key devices are provided in order that the coupling member and the gears 1S, 19, and 20 may be selectively connected to thc driven shaft 1.1.. one set of key devices having a neutral position bei tween the coupling member and the gear 1S and shiftable therefrom to engage either and the other set of key devices having a neutral position between the gears 19 and 20 and shiftable therefrom to engage either of the latter gears.

Bearing rings 23 and 24 are secured to llO v cave grooves provided in the shaft.

the driven shaft 'l1 and they serve not only to afl'ord vhear-irigs for the coupling member 22 and the gears 16, it), and 2() but also to maintain the proper spacial relationship of these parte.

I show two sets of key devices 26 and 27 slidable longitudinally of the driven shaftV ll, the key devices preferably fitting in con- The set of keydevices 26 is arranged for cooperation with the couplingmember 22 and the rgear '18 and the .other set of key devices is vices in detail will sntlice for an understand- `Lio ing of my invention.

\ Referring to Figs. l and fl, it will bcseen that each of the key devices 26 and 27 includes aprimary member 34C and a secondary member e5 connected by a spring 36 preferably arranged under a suitable degree of initial tension. The primary members havefspaced lugs 37 between which the rings 28'v and 29 tit and the secondary members 35 have coupling portions 3S engaging coupling portions 39 of the key portions 32 and 33. Inthis way, it is possible to have key devices which are interchangeable, it only being necessary to provide key portions 32 and of suitable lengths. j o

The primary member 34 is provided with a longitudinal recess -ll for the spring 36, abutments 4t2 being arranged at the ends of the recess for cooperation with the ends of the spring so that a predetermined normal compression may be maintained in the latter. The secondary member 35 is preferably recessed `at t3 to lit over the spring and it is provided with abutments lllfor cooperation with the ends of the spring, the aluitinents 4t2 and lll constituting complementary vparts of end walls for the spring chamber formed by the mating recesses 4l and. 43. Disks 4:6 are preferably arranged between the ends of the vspring 36 and the abutments e2 and tt. It will, therefore, be seen that the primary member 34 is capable of transmitting mot-ion, through the sp1-ing 36, to the secondary member 35 in either directionk and that if motion of the secondary member 35 is arrested the primary member 3ft may continue to move with storage of energy in the spring.

The key devices 26 are equi-distantly spaced angularly of the driven shaft 11, and the same is true of the key devices 27, the lat'er being interposed between the former.

The key portions 32 and 33 have key parts f1.6. preferably oll wedge .shaped or out 'ardly tapering form, for cooperation with projections 47 of similar form on thea-,ouplingl member 22 and the gears i3, l5). and 2t). rl`he projections -il7 are also angularly efpii-distantly .sn-iced. 'l`hc workimr tzu-escl the key parts atti and of the projections lI7 extend parallel to the shaft axis. lu order that at least one key part i6 ol either set of key devices may enter spaces between projections t7 on the associated members, l have the projections l-7 separated by `,fairly wide arcuate spaces 48 and the key parts At6 and the projections 47 are disposed in odd-even rclationshij'i, that is, the number of key parts '16 of a kcy nel is not divisililil into the number of projections A17 ou a member or gear. For evample` l show cach set of key devices having diametrically opposed key parts t6 and the coupling member 22 and the Igears 1S, lf), and 2l) are cach provided with live projections al7. lt will, therefore, be apj'iarent that, irrespective. of the angular position olf the coupling memher or nl any of the p 'carz-z IH. ill. and Lll. relative to the driven shaft jl l., at least ono of the key parts 4:6 of each set is at all times opposite to a space 48 between projections 41-7 of au associated part to be coupled.

From the structure described, it will hc apparent that the sets of key devices 26 and 27 may be selectively shifted in either direction. If the adjacent end of a key-part lo should abut a projection 47, the diametrically-oj'iposed key device will be opposite a space 4:8 between projections. and continued moven'ient ot' the associated shi t't yoke in thc samedirectiou would result in movement ot the primary member 'l-l of the key device. whose key part abuts a projection -l-7, with storage ol.'v energy in its spring' 36 and it wouldrcsult in the key part 416 o t the other key device of the set entering the opposed arcuate space 48. .Due to relative angular movement taking place bctwccn the driven shaft 11. and the member to bc coupled thereto, a key part 4-6 enters a space '16, one of thcyfaccs of one of the projections -l7 moves to engage the opposed tace of the kev so that. with thc arrangement shown. power is transmitted from a projection /17 to a kcv part 46 aud thence to the driven shaft ll. Upon engagement of the entering key parl. 46 by a projection e7, the key parlv At6 ol' the diamctrically opposed key device ot the set will then he in a position to enter a space and it does so under the inlluence of the energy stored in the spring. From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the key devices 26 are adapted to move only in rectilinear paths in order to be engaged and disengaged from the part to be counected to the shaft.

ltlli i i Upon reference to Fig. 3, it will liessen that, for a given direction of rotation, only one pair of engaging projection and `key part 4faces constitutes` a power-transmitting pair, the other pair oit engaging faces serving to limit backlash.`

l/Vhile yieldableness of the key devices is essential to the `mode of engagement decribed, it is desirablethat the `primary and secondary members 34 and 35 of the key devices shall be positively connected when tlle key devices are moved from en aged to neutral position, thereby avoiding t 1e possibility of a key part et sticking and the associated spring 36 yielding. To this end I show the primary `member 3st having the latch part ol pivoted thereto by means oit a pivot pin 52, the latch part having a depending latch portion 53, ,iret'erably rectan` guiar in cross-section, `which `cooperates witha latehingr portion 54 on the secondary member tibet a key device. The latching portion oilprcterably takes the torni of a slot extending longitudinally ot the second-- ary member 3h 'at one end of the latter and lravii'lg an olf-set ortion 55 providing transverse'abutment aces lill `and 57 for cooperation with end fates 158 and 59, respeoy tively, ot' the depending latch portion 53.

Below the latchinr ortion 53, the Alatch a o P.

part 51 is `provided with a cam follower portion 6l, which fits in a cam groove 62 at the bottom `ot' the groove in the driven shaft l1 for the associated key device. The cani f {roove has portions 63 and 64 in oli-set relation `conmcted by an inclined portion b5, the portions 6B and 64 extending longitudinally of the `driven shaft; When a key device is in neutral osition, the cam follower portion (il of its htchint( part l is in the inclined portion (i5 oi' the cam groove and the latchlng portion 5? is disposed snbstantially midway of the length of the olf-set portion 55 oi the secondary mel'nber 35 with the end laces 58 Land 59 spaced suitably from the abutment "faces 56 and `5?. respectively. Immediately as shiftin r of the primary member 34 begins, its latciing part is swung about its ivot due to the follower jiortion (il and tie inclined portion of the cani groove so that the forward end i'ace ot the dependinglateh portion 53 will not engage a transverse abutment tace et the oit-set portion 55 'during shitingy to engaged position, tvherebv the key device is fully yichlable when shifted in this directioll, and so that, npon shittingr trom engaged position to neutral, one ot "the oltsct portions 63 or 6ft of the cam groove will confine the latch `fpartto such a path of motion that, the forward yend fce ot` depending latch portion 53 will be forced to positively engage a transverse abutment face of the otl'-set portion `555, whereby the primary member 34 is positively "connected to the secondary member 35 for pulling the .latter ont ot engaged position to neutral and the.

associated spring 3o is rendered inctlective during this niovement.

While I have shown my invention applied to mirltiple-ratio gearing;r and while l show key devices olf the axially n'iovable type, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that my invention is not so limited but that it may be applied in various ways comingl within the scope of the appended claims` What I claim is:

l. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a rotatable shaft, a member ifo-axially related to said sha-ft and havaner spaced projections provided with working faces extending substantially parallel to the shaft axis, a plurality ot independent yieldaible key devices havingr key Yj )oitions provided with working faces extendingr substantially parallel to the shaft axis, said key devices being mounted on the shaft and movable relatively thereto to engage in the spaces between projections and said key devices and projections being disposed in odd-even relationship, whereby, a. key device may at all times be moved into aY space between projections, and means tor shifting the key devices with respect to the shaft.

2. In apparatus of the class described, tite combination of a rotatable shaft, a member cf`i-axially related to said shaft and having projections separated by spaces, a set of yieldable key devices carried by the shaft and movable relatively to the latter to engage in the spaces between projections, said keys and projections being disposed in oddeven relationshijf), whereby a key ot' the set may at all times be `moved into a space between projections, means for shifting thc key set relatively to the shaft, and means for rendering the yieldable means olf the kcy devices ineffective duringr movement. thcrc of to neutral, whereby positive disengagement oit the key devices from the projections is assured.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the (annbnatiou of a rotatable shaft, a membercoaxially related to said shalt and having snaccd projections provided with workingr iaces arranged substantially parallel to the shaft axis, a` plurality ot' inde pendent key devices carried by the shaft and movable relatively thereto to engage in the spaces between the projections, each of said key devices iliclmling;l primary and secondary members with yicldablfe means iuter -)osed betwveen the members and the secondary members having working faces ar ranged substantially parallel to the shatt axis, and means for shifting the primary members relatively to the shaft.

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a` rotatable shaft, a mem- 'Ill lll)

lil

ber (zo-axially related to said shaft and hav- .nig equi-distantly,angularly spaced projec- `tions separated by arcuate spaces materially Wider than the maximum Width of the pron j ections, separate key devices carried by the shaftand movable reetilinearly with respect thereto to enga-gel in the spaces between projections, each of said key devices including primary and secondary members and spring means for transmitting motion from the primary to the secondary members, anda shifting member connected to the primary membersv of the key devices.

. Cm'ln apparatus of the class described, the combination of a rotatable sha-ft, a meinber co-aXially related to said shaft and having internal projections equi -distantly spacedangularly andseparatcd by arcuate spaces materially ider than the maximum Width Vof the projections, separate key de-y vices carried by the shaft and movable longitudinally thereof to engage in the spaces between the projections, each of said key ldevices including pri mary andv secondary members with a double-acting' compression springy interposed "betweenv the members so that the Vsecondary member may be actuated through the spring by the primary member in either direction, and means for shifting the key devices longitudinally of the shaft.

6. Inapparatus of the class described, the combination of a rotatable shaft, a member co-a2ially related to said shaft and `having projections equi-distantly spaced angularly, said projections being separated by arcuate spaces materially Wider than the maximum Widthv of the projections, separate key devices carried by the shaft and movable longitudinallyv thereof to engage in the spaces between the. projections, each of said key devices including primary and secondary members with double-acting; yieldable means interposed between the members, whereby the primary member may transmit motion to the secondary member in either direction through-the spring' means, means for shifting' the key devices, and means for positively connecting the primary and secondary members of the keyA devices together upon disen- `angement of the key devices from the projections. i y

7. In apparatus of the class described, the combinationof a rotatable shaft, a member coaxially related to said. shaft and having;l projections equi-distantly spaced angularly and separated by arcuate spaces materially Wider than the maximum Width of the projections, separate key devices carried by the shaft and movable relatively thereto to engage in the spaces between projections, each of said key devices including primary and secondary members having spaced abutments and the abutments of the secondary member being capable of longitudinal movement past the abutments of the primary member,

neaacae a spring under compression between the abutments of the members, and means for shifting the key devices relatively to the shaft.

8. In apparatus of the class described, the

combination of a rotatable shaft, a member co-axially related to said shaft and having.; equi-distantly spaced projections extending.;r toward the shaft and the projections heiner separated by arcuate spaces materially wider than the maximum width of the projections, separate key devices carried by the shaft and movable longitudinally thereof to eugag'e inA the spaces between the projections, each of said key devices including primary and second .i'nenibers with yieldahle means interposed between the members so that motion is transmitted in either direction from the primary member to the secondary inem-- ber through the yieldable means, latch mech anism including .fixed and movable means carried by the respective members of each key device. means on the shaft and cooperating With the movable means of the latch mechanism to secure latching together of the primary and secondary members upon disengaging movement of the key devices, and means for shifting the key devices longitudinally of the shaft.

t). In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a rotatable shaft, a member co-axially related to said shaft and having,r projections equi-distantly spaced angularly and separated by arcuate spaces materially wider than the maximum Width of the projections, a plurality of independent yieldable key structures carried by the shaft and shiftable with respect to the latter, said key structures being adapted to engage drivin;r and non-drivingY faces of said projections` whole by backlash between the key structures and the projections is substantially eliminated, and means for shifting the key structures with respect to the shaft.

10. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a. rotatable shaft. a, member co-axially related to said shaft and havin r equi-distantly spaced projections scparated by arcuate spaces niatcrially wider thanr the maximum Width of said projections, a plurality of separate yieldable keys carried by the shaft and movable only rcctilinearly relatively thereto to engage in spaces between projections. th(` number of said projections being not divisible h v the number of said keys in order that a key may enter a space between. projections at all times, and means for shifting the keys relatively to the shaft.

11. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a rotatable shaft, a member co-axially related to said shaft and havingr an odd number of equi-distant-ly spaced projections separated by arcuate spaces materiallyl wider than the nmminnnny width of said rojections, a pair of diametrically oppose independent and yieldable keys carried by the shaft and movable only recti1inearly relatively thereto to engage in the spaces between projections, and means for s lifting the keys relatively to the shaft.

12. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a rotatable shaft, a inember (zo-axially related to said shaft and having an odd number of eqni-distantly spaced internal projections separated by arcuate spaces materially wider than the maximum Width of Lsaid projections, a pair of diametrically opposed, independent and longitudinally ieldable keys carried bythe shaft and movable only rectilinearly to engage in the spaces between projections, and means for shifting the keys with respect to the shaft.

Signed at Bethlehem :in the county ot Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, this 525th day of .li`eln1iary, 1920.

HARRY H. KESSLER. 

